You like flowers. You eat veggies. And you may have mused on the topic of how to start a garden. Springtime, especially, can inspire visions of a vegetable garden lush with the makings of a fresh salad or your new favorite side dish. Gardening is the ultimate DIY project. With the help of a little sunlight, water, soil, and time you can not only be growing plants but feeding yourself! Grab a few essential tools and check out our recommendations for creating your very own starter garden.
Location, Location, Location
What is a garden if not a slice of real estate? Whether you are planning a vertical garden on your balcony, an indoor garden next to your kitchen sink, or a large plot in your backyard, location matters.
First, review the possibilities in your current space. If you don’t have a yard, identify the places in your life where you do have available real estate. Your front stoop? Your windowsill? No matter the surface area, there are garden solutions to match.
Container gardening offers an array of options, not only for location but for well, containers. Think a pepper plant in an upcycled paint can; mint or basil in an old teapot, or succulents in the drawers of that old dresser you’ve had in storage. Before shelling out money on new containers, scour your closets and cupboards for creative container solutions.
Vertical or hanging gardens are also an option. Planting upwards instead of outwards offers a whole new world for growing plants. You can buy vertical gardening systems or make your own out of materials like landscape fabric or hex wire and terracotta pots.
If you are embarking on your gardening 101 journey via the old standby of a traditional yard, location still matters. Identify a space out of the way from the rambunctious activities of kids or pets. Start with a small space to keep things manageable. Last but not least, in all your location considerations, sunlight matters.
Follow the Sun
A vegetable garden in particular usually requires a good deal of sunlight and the same can be said for many flowering plants as well. A garden plot in constant shade may not yield your desired results so be sure to keep this essential natural resource in mind. Some of the fastest-growing vegetables, for example, require 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. Note the areas of your yard or the windows within your house with plenty of sunlight. If you go the container route, consider adding wheels to the bottom of some of your larger containers before you plant. This will allow you to shift your containers throughout the day as you follow the sun.
Plant What You Like
Keep your aesthetic tastes or your taste buds in mind as you decide what to plant. If you hate spinach don’t bother planting it. On the other hand, if you normally don’t love tomatoes, for example, you might be shocked by the flavor difference in a tomato you’ve grown yourself. And if you simply adore forget-me-nots, be sure to work them into your repertoire of growing plants.
Do a little research on companion planting to help you determine the kind of resources each plant will require. It’s wise to group plants requiring similar amounts of water and light. Corn and beans go well together, as do beets, carrots, and lettuce. If planting flowers you may want to explore color schemes as well.
Get Soil Sophisticated
For beginner gardeners, it may seem strange to purchase soil, much less weigh the many variations on “dirt” for a range of benefits. But when planning your garden it is important to start things off right and that means getting sophisticated about soil. Think about soil like you think about skincare. Do it right today and you’ll reap the benefits in the long term. Also, moisture matters. Good soil will help you regulate moisture and nurture your plants.
When it comes to container gardening, you can fill containers with soil from a gardening center. This soil is a blend of organic and inorganic matter designed to provide vital nutrients to your plants.
The soil in your yard is another matter and will require a bit more exploration on your part to ensure you are offering your plants fertile ground. First, conduct a careful examination. Learning your soil type is the first step in knowing what you need to add to your soil to make it ideal for growing flowers or your vegetable garden. Is it clumpy and claylike or sandy and loose? If your soil is sandy, for example, adding organic matter such as manure or compost will help supply nutrients and create a more suitable texture.
If digging into the soil isn’t your thing, don’t fear: there’s always hydroponics – the practice of growing plants in nutrient-rich water.
Water Which Way
One of the essential steps for gardening involves being smart about your proximity to a water source. The last thing you want to do is lug water from one end of your yard to another because the hose doesn’t quite reach. For smaller gardens or containers, watering can do the trick. (Bonus tip: to conserve water, place your watering can in your shower while you wait for the water to warm. Use the water you catch on your sugar snap peas, daylilies, or anything in between.) For larger gardens, consider how you’ll water daily and take this activity into account as you plan your garden.
Knowing how much water to give your plants is also central in any collection of gardening tips. To tell if your garden needs watering, push a finger about one inch into the soil. If it feels dry, water away. Finally, water at the same time every day (or every other day, depending on your weather conditions), ideally in the morning. Watering in the morning will not only help plants retain moisture but watering at the same time every day helps form a habit of mindful garden maintenance.
Patience in All Things Growing
Good things come to those who wait and no one appreciates that saying like a gardener.
With the proper resources and a hearty dose of patience, you too can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor. Literally. So what are you waiting for? Get to gardening!
